Having a child with Sensory Integration Disorder also known as Sensory Perception Disorder, can be a challenge. My son Caleb potty trained just a few months shy of his fourth birthday thanks to some last minute help from a good friend of mine.
Caleb is what I call hypersensitive to many things. In other cases such as dealing with pain, it takes him at least a minute or two to recognize what is going on.
With Caleb’s hypersensitivity he doesn’t like certain fabrics. We have had to change out some of his wardrobe to keep him comfortable. He doesn’t like to wear underwear much nor socks. It is a battle to keep the undergarments on him to say the least.
Caleb has a stronger, more keener sense of smell than most of the people around him. He gets aggitated by certain smells.
Most recently, a friend of mine pointed out that he thought Caleb was also getting aggitated by the flourescent lighting at his office which is also in the classroom Caleb was in for first grade. Any time Caleb was up at the office with me he would ask to turn the lights off which I thought was odd. Now I understand why. Apparently the flourescent lighting has a very low pitch humming noise that he can hear and actually feel on his skin. This of course gets him aggitated.
Caleb’s biggest problem has been he has had a difficult time making friends. This does affect him because he will talk to me about it often that no one wants to play with him.
So how has this affected him? I tried three times to potty train Caleb. The first time I thought it may be too early. The second time we were going through a tremendous amount of stress. Third time I was a desperate single mom of three kids that just had a baby and separated from my now ex husband.
Caleb had difficulties speaking, holding a crayon in his hands, using scissors and was a very picky eater. Much of his developmental issues were brought to attention during his Head Start Pre-K year just a few months after he was finally potty trained.
Everyone and I mean everyone wanted to throw the book at Caleb and say he was ADD/ADHD. I didn’t believe for a second Caleb was. In fact, I actually believed he was more like his dad who is Bi-Polar.
He managed to get through Pre-K, Kindergarten okay and then 1st grade Caleb took a dramatic turn for the worst. Caleb was having many bedwetting accidents at night even when he was taken to the toilet before bedtime. Drinks were cut out for him a few hours before then too.
His behavior at school was like a roller coaster. One week he may do very well and the next they were ready to get rid of him. Towards the end of the school year he was suspended or kicked out of school before classes begun for the day. The very last meeting I had with his teacher, Special Ed teacher, Assistant principal and a friend of mine, I was told if Caleb didn’t show an improvement with his behavior next year he would not be allowed to stay at the school.
I was appalled. Caleb overall has been a really good kid. His grades are really good for all the things he has went through. Only two of his six subjects were modified because of his developmental delays. The rest were done like the rest of the children, including Math. Exactly what child with ADD or ADHD for that matter can have a HIGH B final grade in Math? or 2 points from having an A average in Science or a High B in Social Studies for the year?
So to all the families who are dealing with children who have SID / SPD or even misdiagnosed as ADD/ADHD there is hope for a child who is lagging behind developmentally.
It takes a lot more creativity, patience and dedication. Positive encouragement while toilet training (or potty training) is so important for all children. If your child is hypersensitive like mine is, find things that can alter the unpleasant smells or the feel of certain materials such as the potty seat. If it means you have to find some fabric to cover the seat so your child will actually sit on it do whatever it takes.
I have been told that Occupational Therapy is the way to go. Some utilize a brushing method to help reduce the hypersenory issues children can have. We are in the process of getting things taken care of for Caleb in that matter. Hopefully that will cut down some of his hypersensitivity to things.
The most important thing I have learned and suggest to parents all of the time is consistency. Be as consistent as possible with daily routines. Next, you want to focus on having a positive attitude. I have noticed that Caleb does so much better throughout the day if things are consistent and positive.
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